


Lights

by eatasourwolf



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha Stiles, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, F/M, Human Derek Hale, Kid Fic, M/M, Pack Building, Protective Derek, Werebabies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-27
Updated: 2013-06-28
Packaged: 2017-12-16 08:13:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/859900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eatasourwolf/pseuds/eatasourwolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stiles has taken an interest in an overprotective papa and his tot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 

It's not the first time he's seen them.

Twice a month he runs into them at the grocery store. Hale has short dark hair, styled up and away from his face. He has the most beautiful green eyes Stiles has ever seen on a man, and a pair of eyebrows that furrow in disgruntled concentration when he seats his tiny miniature in the basket of a shopping cart and walks them around the store holding up different types of fruits and vegetables for the small boy to choose. Stiles gets lost watching them sometimes. The little boy likes mangos and bananas, his expression pleased and eager when Hale heads straight for them when they first arrive. It doesn’t last long though, face falling with each new item Hale deposits into the cart without approval, or after ignoring pleading eyes and adament shakes of a denial. Onions get a pinched nose and a slip of fang barely hidden before the boy sneaks half his face under his shirt to hide away from the smell.

Every Sunday he finds them at the public library for afternoon story time. A tiny tot with dark black hair and bright blue eyes that’s barely old enough to walk on his own snuggled close and protectively in the arms of a leather clad Hale. He’s sitting cross legged in tight jeans, something that can’t be comfortable, but he’s managed to find a spot close to the librarians rocking chair that’s not in the way of the smaller kids who sit alone in the group. It’s not hard to see the resemblance between tot and Hale on these days, they share the same powerful eyebrows that on a the tiny tot are still quite impressive when he turns to glare at the kids disturbing his story time.

Tuesdays the little one has a children's swimming class at the gym with Stile’s roommate Scott and Scott’s assistant slash one sided love of four years slash current girlfriend of two months, Allison. It’s a story that had surprised Stiles considering how well the pair got along. They’ve been teaching swimming classes at the local gym for years now, something they do together once a week and on the side of their usual jobs. Scott loves to talk about his tiny students and how its cute the way they all shy away from the pool on the first day of class. Some cautious, while others are too excited to sit still for long before they’re begging Scott to let them into the pool area. The classes on Tuesdays are meant as a mommy and me class, so the parents and the kids learn together while bonding and building trust. Stiles hadn’t had much interest in the class at first, he’d helped Scott and Allison every once in a while, when their main jobs needed more attention and one or the other couldnt make the class. It was on one such occasion that Stiles had walked in to realize Hale and his tot had joined the class.

Stiles as been inadvertantly watching them for almost two weeks now. They make quite the pair. The proud papa bear as Stiles has taken to calling him since he doesn't know his first name is overprotective. Hale glares at anyone that gets too close when the tiny tot is walking at his side, the thumb of one hand tucked in his mouth unless he's eating or splashing around at the pool.

The tot never strays far from touching distance of Hale. It’s a miracle in that Stiles has seen how curious the boy can be when Hales attention is elsewhere. His bright blue eyes take in everything and everyone in a way that seems too alert for such a small child. He’s seen understanding in those eyes whenever they’ve managed to lock gazes.

The first time he saw them he was at the grocery store on what was supposed to be a quick milk run. He’d spotted tiny tot walking alone further and further down the cereal aisle, Hale nowhere in sight. At the time he hadn’t known there was a Hale the boy belonged to. It’d been enough of a surprise to make him stop abruptly and almost run into an old lady’s shopping cart. He’d felt unnaturally panicked at the sight of the child alone. His heart beat faster and his footsteps quicker to reach the child. He’d made it around the corner, and the relief had almost been enough to knock him off his feet. Hale had tiny tot in his arms, a small hand gripped Hale’s ear in a flimsy hold that seemed almost comforting like he needed the skin to skin contact. His face was burried in the side of Hales neck and it’d been endearing how careful Hale had been to turn away from the freezer to keep the cold gust away from the tot as he’d taken out a jug of milk and left.

There's always a flutter in Stiles gut when they walk away.

It’s followed by the stray thought that maybe he's not just background noise to them in this small town that perhaps they are as aware of him as he is of them.

 

\- - - - -

 

Allison has to visit family up north for the holidays and Stiles gets ready for an afternoon surrounded by children.

Scott greets him with a sad smile. Glad and appreciative to see him, but its easy to see he misses Allison already.

"You could cancel tonights class? Spend the rest of the day with her before her flight in the morning."

Scott looks like the idea is tempting but ultimately shakes his head. "I can't do that to the kids. A lot of them look forward to this family time. You know how some of these parents would just go back to work instead of spending time with their kids outside of class."

Stiles nods and pats Scott on the back before they head out of the locker room to greet the class.

 

\- - - - -

 

Papa Bear and his cub are wearing matching blue swim trunks. There's a small wolf on the shorts left leg and it makes Stiles want to coo at how cute it is. Scott talks to the parents while Stiles calls the kids over to hand them their safety vests, and a little board to practice their kicking while they warm up their muscles in the water.  

They go thru the motions of simple strokes and wait till the end of the class to introduce everyone to floating on their backs. It takes a couple of tries after two of the kids panic too much to do it with their parents. There's an awkward moment when a little boy refuses to do it unless Scott holds him up instead of his dad. There's an embarrassed blush on the father’s cheeks, as he moves out of the way to let Scott take his place.

Most of the kids float easily, Papa Bear and his cub seem to be practicing outside of the scheduled classes because they're both tranquily floating together towards the back of the group. Papa Bears hand stays within reach of the tot, pushing on his bum when the tot startles from the other kids abrupt cries and starts to sink, or nudging him away from the deep end when he starts to float out too far.

The class ends and everyone heads to the locker rooms. A lot of the parents stop to thank Scott and Stiles wades in the water diving under and enjoying the rush of cool flexibility it leaves him with like his body is anything but solid mass.

Everyone's gone when he resurfaces, and he gives it a few more minutes before he too heads to the locker room. The showers should be free of bustling parents and pouting kids by now.

 

\- - - - -

 

The tiny tot is sitting at the edge of the bench by the showers. He's dressed in black shorts and an iron man shirt, hair styled into messy spikes like he ran his fingers thru it as soon as Papa Bear turned his back. He looks up at Stiles with wide blue eyes when he passes by to grab his towel and shower cady out of his locker. Stiles smiles at him, resisting the urge to ruffle his hair when he walks by again to the showers.

Papa Bear is walking out of the showers in low hung jeans and shirtless. His chest is wet, but his hair is styled in similar messy spikes that make Stiles think he let the cub style it for him instead. He's unable to hold back the smile at the thought and Papa Bear raises an eyebrow at him, playful smirk on his lips as Stiles blushes a hot red at the attention and ducks past.


	2. Chapter 2

He starts seeing them daily. It’s such an abrupt change in their usual meetings that it leaves him too eager to question.

He starts seeing them across the room at his favorite diner, Hale cutting up the tots food and Stiles ends up half his lunch period just watching them and wishing he was there with them instead of sitting alone.

Tiny tot makes a mess when he eats, he’s a determined little boy that seems to love playing with his food. He can’t use silverware that well, and Hale ends up letting him play for a while before he takes up a child size fork and guides his hand through the motions like a reminder of something he’s been taught before.

The kid makes a face, lower lip jutting out and eyes pleading up at Hale who just raises an eyebrow before the tot gives up and is awkwardly stabbing his fork into pieces of chicken.

Stiles laughs when he sees him sneak a few with ketchup stained fingers when Hale is focused on his own meal.

 

 

\- - - - -

 

"Why are you hiding your wolf?"

The voice has a squeak of youth to it, but its still surprisingly deep for a child.

"Where's your dad?" Stiles says instead, glancing around and behind him for any sign of Hale in the library.

Those wide blue eyes are locked on him and the same disgruntled face Hale makes at fruit is now directed at him from the cub.

"You can't answer my question with a question."

Stiles grins, crouching down to eye level with the cub. "I can do what I want, kid. I'm an adult."

"You're an alpha."

Stiles pulls back almost falling on his ass as he does. No one should be able to tell he's anything, but human. He looks around again, but Hale is still missing and his senses are too limited now to tell if he's eavesdropping.  

"That's a pretty big accusation, little man."

The tot tilts his head. His eyes not entirely focused like he's listening to something else. Hale must be calling him.

"It's a fact. I have to go, but you should come over for dinner."

Stiles gives him an uneasy smile, "I don't think that's a good idea."

The tot frowns, "you have to come. I'll tell Dad if you don't."

Stiles blinks, "...your Dad doesn't know?"

The cub shakes his head, frown easing into a cheeky grin. Stiles wonders if Derek would look as cute with the same expression.

"He doesn't know I'm a werewolf? Or an alpha?" He needs to be sure.

"Dad's human." The cub glances back towards the corner of the library Stiles knows storytime is usually held. Hale might not even know the kids wandered off yet.

The tot tilts his head again, eyes going wide. "I have to go. Storytimes almost over."

The cub runs off, and Stiles feels a terribly eager grin spreading over his face. There's a furious energy in the pit of his stomach, a storm of emotions gathering and mounting. Stiles has no real pack to speak of even if he's taken Scott and Allison under his protection. It’s a relationship that’s lasted almost two years now, four if he counts the time they didnt know he was a werewolf. As much as he loves Scott and Allison, it’s not enough. They're humans in an alphas pack that dont fully understand what it means, and what Stiles as an alpha requires of them.

The cub coming to find him on his own is monumental.

That he can tell Stiles is an alpha beyond the tricks Stiles uses to appear human to everyone, leaves his wolf feeling proud and wanting. This cub has potential, and if his invitation to dinner is any indication there's a possible pack instinct in play. This cub has no one, but Hale as far as Stiles has seen. Inviting Stiles, an alpha, to share a meal with him and his human pack mate is a risk and a show of trust. His wolf purrs, rubbing up beneath his skin, leaving goosebumps in its wake, and Stiles closes his eyes with a shiver.

When he opens them again, a brilliant blood red has overtaken them.

He will have Hale and his cub.  

 

 

\- - - - -

 

The night for the first time in three months, Stiles drops his human shell. It's something he tends to avoid, or at least limit to full moons when the wolf is itching for the hunt and too aware there are no packmates to run with.

Tonight there is cause for excitement. Hale is aware werewolves exists, his cub is prove enough, but Stiles knows better than to show up unannounced. A cub is still a cub, and he allows the shift to take him, falling to his knees and becoming the large white wolf and run a paramater of the town. Everything has to be perfect. As alpha he has to provide, and show he has the means to protect the new additions to the pack. Scott and Allison are still out of town, and they too will have to show they mean well.

He has to be extra careful with Hale.

He’s seen how overprotective the man is of his cub, something that makes Stiles hum with pleasure at the thought of gaining such a worthy pack mate. The wolf howls his intentions, ready to begin.

 

 

\- - - - -

 

It would be rude to show up at Hale’s house unannounced.

Technically, this territory - this town - belongs to Stiles, he was here first.

There’s also the cubs invitation to consider. An invitation from werewolf to werewolf that holds more significance than if Hale had sought him out himself, but Stiles has to wonder if Hale is even aware of what his cub has done, and what it’ll mean for all of them.

How much does Hale even know about werewolves? The cub is a few years old, possibly five, it’s likely he’s small for his size if their earlier conversation is anything to go by. There could be instinct more than logic that pushed the cub to seek Stiles out.

He’s ultimately going in blind. He wouldn’t even normally consider taking in people he doesn’t even know, but there’s just something about Hale and his cub that makes the wolf huff and struggle until Stiles gives in to the urge to watch over them from afar.

He wants to make a fresh kill, and present it to Hale and his cub.

It takes every ounce of control to stay clear of the preserve as he drives down to the diner and waits.

 

 

\- - - - -

 

Hale and the cub arrive just an hour after Stiles.

By then Stiles has gone over a hundred different ways this meeting could go. Worst case being Hale not knowing anything and feeling threatened by Stiles enough to move out of town. Best case scenario Hale will know and accept Stiles offer for pack and protection.

Hale holds the door open for the cub who’s too small to see around the diner booths. Stiles can scent them both now though, it’s the first time he’s been around them without the limitation of human senses. Hale is thoroughly scent marked by the cub, no surprise there, but outside of that they share a sweetness in scent that’s surprising. There’s also an obvious lack of claim to a pack that has Stiles swallowing hard to keep back the shift.

Hale pauses, looking down at tiny tot as they stand just inside the door. The cub barely reaches past his mid thigh, his spiked hair giving him a few more inches.

The kids not looking at him though, he’s made it past the booths into Stiles line of sight and is staring at him with pleased blue eyes. He looks away and up at Hale, nodding his head and reaching up to be lifted.

Stiles feels his eyes going wider and wider as Hale walks closer, only stopping once he’s reached Stiles table and claimed the other seat in the booth. He lets the cub down, and patiently waits for him to settle in before taking his seat.

A waitress comes over to take their order, and brings a cup of chocolate milk for the tot. They’ve been there often enough that week that she knows that’s all the tot drinks, and when Stiles sees the straw is missing, he quickly asks for one before the waitress can leave. He’s watched them have lunch here often enough to know the cub is selfconscious about drinking straight from the cup after he’s spilled it on himself before. He doesn’t realize how odd that might seem until he’s unwrapped the straw and handed it over to the cub with a smile.

Hale raises an eyebrow, there’s a complicated smile on his face like he’s just been proven right, and he finds it amusing.

The tot blinks up at Hale, then focuses on his milk, sipping happily and watching Stiles with interest.

The waitress brings Stiles a fresh cup of coffee and Hale’s eyes narrow on the mug as Stiles takes a thankful sip.

“Why are you drinking that crap?”

Stiles pauses, eyes flickering between Hale and his mug. This is the first time Hale has talked to him, and Stiles is kind of offended it’s about his coffee habbits.

Hales eyebrows are doing an odd dance on his face before he tries again, “why drink it when it doesn’t affect you?”

Stiles drinks down his coffee, slowly setting the mug on the table. “What makes you say that?”

“You’re a werewolf, aren’t you?”

The tots blue eyes gain an eerie glow at the word werewolf.

Stiles eyes widen, a beta then.

When Stiles doesn’t say anything, Hale frowns, “why are you hiding your wolf? The Argent girl isn’t a hunter, even though her family is. This is neutral territory. They can’t come here without starting a war with all the creatures that inhabit it. There’s no need to hide, and yet you’ve taken a human shell.”

Stiles eyes widen and he blinks in surprise. Hale is informed, but he doesn’t have his facts right. “First off this territory isn’t neutral.”

Hale stiffens, his posture easily shifting into protective of his cub who doesn’t seem bothered by the words.

“I’m the alpha of this territory. The Argent girl - Allison - is a part of my pack, so is Scott. If this seems like neutral territory it’s only because I have ties to several supernatural groups in the area, in the neighboring towns. We get a lot of visitors here, but that’s all they are. I decide who stays and goes. I don’t put up with trouble, but I also don’t like drawing attention to myself hence why my wolf is hidden.”

Hale shifts, he looks like he wants to ask something he doesn’t think he’ll like the answer to. “Did you know about Tyler... when we arrived?”

“Tyler?”

Hales eyes narrow, “you don’t know his name?”

Stiles leans back, he’s missed something here. “I don’t know a Tyler, and I don’t even know you as anything other than Hale.”

Hale brows furrow, like he doesn’t understand how he ended up here with Stiles of all people. “Derek.”

“What?”

“I’m Derek, and this is Tyler.” His arm tightens around the cub who grins around the draw before setting his empty cup on the table.

That warm rush is back, a pulse of want that he now realizes was a call for pack resonate through him, and Stiles grins back at Tyler. “I’m Stiles.”

Hale rolls his eyes, “I knew that, if I didn’t I wouldn’t have agreed to this.”

“Why did you agree? What are you guys even doing here?” Stiles eyes settle on Tyler who looks at ease leaning into Derek. “He’s still too young to be going around without a packs protection.”

Derek glares, “you think I don’t know that.” His voice is harsh, agitated, and Tyler lays a hand on Derek’s hand since his jacket is in the way.

He’s trying to offer comfort the way werewolfs would in a pack, Stiles realizes, but Derek is human. It’s easy to scent it on him now that the mark of wolf on him comes from Tyler’s scent marking and not his own scent. The touch seems to remind him that his cub is watching, but it doens’t settle him as it would a werewolf.

“There’s not a lot of safe places to go with a cub and no pack.” He doesn’t look like he’s willing to expand on why they ended up that way. His eyes hard, and a scowl on his lips. “I know he needs protection.”

Hale falls quiet, staring down at the table between then and Stiles waits because it feels like it’s hard for Derek to put everything into words and he’s trying.

“...He felt you.” Hale’s frown says he doesn’t understand how it’s possible. “We weren’t going to stop here, but he felt you on the full moon when we were a days run from here. He shifted partially. He lost control just from catching your scent, or feeling you, I’m not even sure. He said it he felt like a call, but he wasn’t sure what it was just that it felt familiar and he wanted to answer it.”

“So you came, and then what?”

“He didn’t want to leave. After the full moon, he said the call was quiet, he didn’t hear it again. Not as loud as that day, but he thought he could hear it when he was close enough to you.”

“The magic I use to bind my wolf... I don’t release it unless the wolf needs to hunt, usually on full moons.”

The word hunt makes Tyler’s fangs drop. He drops his gaze as soon as he feels them exposed and Stiles takes in a deeper breath. The cubs wolf is at the surface, and Stiles can almost feel it rubbing against his own wolf in greeting from across the table.

Derek hand finds it way into Tyler’s hair and Stiles can hear the soft, happy growl the boy gives at the attention. When Tyler raises his head, his fangs have retracted, and he smiles.

Stile huffs a laugh, “you felt me, huh?”

Tyler nods, and he looks around to make sure no one is paying them any attention before he lets his eyes take on the eerie beta blue, “I got tired of waiting for you to make your move.”

Stiles leans forward, eyes bleeding red in answer, and he grins with a hint of fang.

Derek clears his throat pointedly, and Tyler startles, eyes going back to normal and looking properly chastised for letting his wolf out in public.

Stiles akes a sip of his coffee, this is definitely not the conversation he was expecting to have. He’s not sure how much to tell them, and Derek hasn’t outright said he wants to join the pack even though Tyler’s wolf is close to whining for acknowledgement. “I’m not a born wolf. I was bitten, and I left the pack that turned me.” Just the thought of the alpha that turned him against his will has his skin crawling with the itch to fight. He shakes his head, sipping at his coffee again for something else to focus on. “I’ve had to make a lot of decisions on the spur of the moment, but I don’t regret anything. I can offer you and Tyler protection as long as you are here. Whether you and your cub decide to join my pack is up to you, but I won’t make you join. That’s not how things work around here.”

Hale looks curious and a little surprised at his words, like he’d come here resigned to joining a pack just to protect his cub.

“There’s not a lot I can offer you as far as knowledge about cubs outside of my own instinct. I can tell he’s a born wolf though.”

Derek nods, “his mother was a werewolf.”

There’s an awkward pause where Stiles thinks Derek is going to explain why she’s missing from their lives, but there’s nothing but a frown on his face.

The waitress choses that moment to drop off plates of warm food and another chocolate milk for the cub. Derek settles into his role as Papa Bear with relief, and their meal is pleasant if not a little strained. When it’s time for the check, Stiles takes it while Derek’s wiping at the cubs ketchup stained mouth.

Stiles isn’t sure if he should leave first and let Derek think things over. He’s not sure he wants to leave at all with the eyes Tyler is giving him like he can feel the separation coming and he doesn’t want to leave either.

Finally it’s Derek that heaves a sigh and says, “I can’t protect him alone forever. He’s still growing, and until he reaches puberty and starts to really learn to control his wolf, anywhere we go is dangerous.”

Stiles nods his agreement, eyes on Tyler who looks ready to cry if he’s forced to leave Stiles.

“I don’t know what I’m doing, Stiles.” His name on Derek lips makes Stiles cheeks heat. “Tyler needs a pack, and I could use the help, if you’re willing.”

Stiles wolf pushes against his skin, and a pleased rumble resonates in his chest. Tyler’s eyes flash, and the smile on his face is so big that his cheeks have rounded at the corner, flushed with happy energy.

Derek looks between them, confused, but he seems to understand that his agreement has made to werewolfs very, very happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo~ I honestly have no idea where the need for a kid fic came from, but here it is. Title and the fic was partially inspired by the song "Lights" by Ellie Goulding. Hope you all enjoyed it~


End file.
